Falling Steel
by MagnaMothy
Summary: During the closing days of the third war, a Elven Warden losses all that she cares for, and sets off on a trail of Vengence. Chapter 1 added!
1. Prologue

**Hi everyone, I'm Magna, and this is my first submission to Fanfiction.net. Now for the disclaimer...  
  
I do not own the rights to WarCraftIII, The Frozen Throne, Maiev Shadowsong, or any other characters from Blizzard's campaign that is mentioned here. So please don't sue me Blizzard!! ^_^;  
  
So, without further ado, the Prologue...**  
  
  
Diana sunk back into the warm, soothing waters of the hot spring; letting it bubble up around her strong, thin frame. Her hair black-green splayed out as her head dipped beneath the surface of the water. She hadn't had a bath in ages, and it felt so incredible. And Mirana, her dear younger sister, had even covered her shift in the cell blocks so she could sneak away to the springs. After a few more moments under the water, Diana sat on an outcropping so her head was above the water, then slowly slipped into sleep.   
  
Diana awoke suddenly, something unseen jolting her out of sleep. She could not tell how much time had passed since she had fallen asleep. She swam to the other side of the pool, and stepped out, the cold air zapping the warmth of the spring. It felt as if the darkness of the cavern had greeted her. She dried off with a deerskin towel, and then put on her two-piece under garments. She hurriedly put on the thick cape and thin, form fitting armor, and rushed though the heavy door that took her to a path that led back to the deeps.   
  
She ran down the winding pathway, and leapt into a warp gate. Her body felt as if it was being tugged by a hook in her navel, and her body traveled though stone and brick at a dizzying pace. She came to a stop several hundred feet away, back in the main cell blocks of the Barrow Deeps. _Strange_, she thought, _there's no sound..._ Her stomach flipped at this, something was wrong.  
  
She slowly pushed the heavy wooden door and it slowly swung outwards, giving her access to the main path of the cell block. There were no torches lit, and it was pitch black. Even with her Night Elf eyes, she couldn't see in total darkness. She took several steps into the hallway, and it felt as if something evil was hanging in the air.   
  
Her bare feet stepped in something wet and sticky. She lifted her foot up, and swiped at it with her fingers. She brought her hand up to her face and smelled the fluid. _Blood... Unmistakable..._ Her fears were reassured, something had indeed happened. For the first time in many ages, Diana Starstalker was afraid.   
  
So she ran.   
  
She ran in fear of her friends, and that whatever drew that blood was still alive and well in the Deeps. She slammed into the wall at the far end of this cell block. She fell backwards, cursed, and leapt back up and felt around for the door. She found the heavy iron ring, and slammed the door outwards.   
  
She was at a lack for words at what she saw inside...   
  
Blood was splattered over the walls like so much paint, and bodies were strewn around the wide corridors like children's dolls. By the Goddess... Diana muttered. She, she knew these people. Except she noticed a body near a fallen Owlbear or Wildkin. The body was that of a Night Elf female, clad in a foreign armor. Diana knelt down next to the body, studying it intently. The body was sitting at the base of the wall, and Diana touched her face checking to see if she was unconscious. The woman's head flopped around sickeningly, as if she had no spine at all.   
  
_Snapped her neck like a twig... _Diana thought as she looked over at the Owlbear. Diana heard weak, stifled cries coming from behind the Owlbear. Diana carefully stepped behind the massive creature, and saw a strange sight. It was another outsider, clad in the same armor, but next to her was a creature Diana remembered from her youth. It was a Nightsabre panther, the first Diana had seen in several millennia. The girl had her arms around the creature's massive legs, and the panther was on it's legs, licking the girls torso. Diana took a wide circle around, and saw a gruesome sight.   
  
The girl's entrails were spilled out on the floor in a bloody mess. The panther was trying in vain to push the girl's organs back inside her shredded stomach. The girl saw Diana and reached towards Diana.   
  
I'm so cold... the girl whimpered.   
  
Diana could not help but take pity on the girl, she took her hand and knelt down, and took her hand. I'm dying aren't I? the girl asked. Diana nodded, Yes, yes you are. The girl looked away, I'm so cold... she repeated.   
  
The girls hand fell out of Diana's and hit the floor with a sound that resonated within the walls. Silence followed, and Diana looked into the girl's face. It was cold and lifeless, and Diana's tears slipped down her face and fell before the girl's lifeless frame.  
  
Diana continued her grim way down the maze of cell blocks. The walls were composed of bland, tan stone, with etching inscribed in it. She exited the first major line of cells, and entered a hallway of heroes. The pathway was lined with alcoves, and within each alcove was a likeness of a hero of the Night Elves. Diana took notice of them, Shan'Do Stormrage, Tyrande Whisperwind, Cenarius, Shan'Do Blackmoon, why ever their senior Warden, Maiev Shadowsong, was immortalized here. There was less bloodshed here, but as Diana passed though to the second cell-filled hallway, that all changed.   
  
Once again a sickening sight welcomed Diana. As she walked, she noticed that all of the cells were empty, broken open by blunt force. So, these people freed the prisoners? Who would want to free convicted criminals? She continued her way, the deeper she went, the more bodies were strewn across the floor. _What did they do to deserve this?_ She followed the trail of blood and bodies, both local and outsider, to the central courtyards.   
  
The central courtyards were a pair of pathways in a figure-eight surrounding two small lakes. The border of the pathways were also lined with a rarity in these Barrow Deeps, trees. She walked around the circular courtyard, and took a short, nearly impassable path, into the second of the courtyards, where she should have been stationed.   
  
_By the Goddess... Mirana! _  
  
Diana ran though the secondary courtyard, and then to where she should have been stationed. She saw Mirana laying still on the cold, stone floor. Naive, Diana ran over to her yelling, Baby sister! I'm here! I'm here! She stopped by Mirana's seemingly unconscious body and knelt by her. Diana took one her sisters hands in her own. Sister? Mirana?   
  
Silence.   
  
Mirana? Please! Talk to me! Sister... Baby sister... Answer me...   
  
Skin colder then ice.   
  
Mirana... Please... Speak to me...   
  
Deathly stillness.   
  
Goddess... No... Diana's body began to tremble and shake, and Diana slowly laid her ear on her sister's chest. No heartbeat or breathing welcomed her ear. Tears welled up in Diana's eyes, and great tears rolled over her cheeks and fell onto her sister's lifeless body. The shock overcame Diana like an avalanche of sorrow, she felt like she too, wanted to die.   
  
Diana stayed with her head on her sister's body, Diana's tears eventually stopping, but she kept her head on her sister's chest for a long while. Time lost meaning to Diana, as she lay there in her sorrow.   
  
And it was Diana's fault... If Mirana hadn't been so nice, Diana could have protected her, saved her, or maybe at least have died with her sister.   
  
Diana's vigil was interrupted by the sounds of footsteps behind her, coming from the courtyards. Intruder or not, Diana didn't care, life was meaningless now. Leave me be, Diana whimpered softly. Diana felt a gentle grip on her shoulder that made her look up. It was the senior Warden, Maiev. Ma- Maiev? Diana asked weakly. Yes child, it is I. Maiev noticed Mirana's lifeless body. Mirana... She has passed? Diana bowed her head, Yes milady, Mirana is dead... Come now child, Maiev whispered in Diana's ear as she attempted to lift Diana off of her sister's body. But, Diana didn't want to leave her sister alone, vulnerable, no she couldn't let it happen again! She wrapped her arms around Mirana's lifeless body but Maiev overpowered Diana as she ripped her away from her slain sister.   
  
No! No! I can't leave her alone again! Let me go damn it! Diana screamed. Stop this! Maiev yelled back, She is dead Diana, there is nothing we can do but bring our wrath upon those who violated this place. Maiev's words priced Diana's mind, and she became lucid again. Who did this? Who killed my sister? Diana asked, voice colder then steel. Maiev looked away, not knowing if Diana would believe the truth...   
  
Tyrande Whisperwind came into our jail, she demanded that the villain Illidan be set free, we refused, and she stormed the complex.   
  
Diana stood confounded for a moment, trying to remember who Tyrande was. Wait, Tyrande Whisperwind, the Sentinel leader? The Hero of the War of the Ancients? Why would she want to free Illidan? Maiev shrugged, I do not know. It is important that we find all those who escaped and bring them under our own justice.   
  
Is anyone else alive? Diana asked. Maiev nodded, Yes, Naisha, and a number of the Watchers did manage to get out of this alive, for know, we should focus on regrouping our forces.  
  
Milady, I have a request, Diana asked meekly, May I return Mirana to the ground myself? Maiev nodded, Of course my child. Mirana is yours to do as you wish. Diana knelt down, and picked up her sister's limp, cold body. I will take her outside for one last view at the moon. As Maiev watched Diana disappear into the shadows, Maiev knew that Diana would abandon her cause. Because for Diana, only vengeance was left for her.  
  
***   
A half a week later, Diana stood on the threshold of the Barrow Deeps, her sister silent in Diana's arms. Mirana's corpse was draped in a sacred white cloth, pure and pristine as the Moon itself. Diana took a deep breath, and stepped outside the caverns.   
  
The foothills of Mount Hyjal were a beautiful place, marvelous to behold. The ground was comprised of sparse trees with a thick undergrowth of shrubs and bushes. The moon shined upon Mirana for the first time in countless years. It was around midnight, and the moon was just about to wane from it's full form. Diana remembered the forests, and how the moon used to shine upon her sister as they played their silly, childish games together. How the one night when the skies first rained fire, and the Demons came to Azeroth. Diana walked slowly in the moonlight, to a small, flat area several hundred feet away from the Barrow's entrance.   
  
Diana lovingly placed Mirana's body in a grave which she had made in the previous week. She then placed a single enchanted seed on Mirana's chest, and covered Mirana's body in soil. As soon as the last patch of dirt was put back, a twirl of energy danced it's way high into the evening sky and towards the inviting moon. Diana's body quivered and quaked, but the time for tears had passed for her.   
  
As the soul of her sister wound it's way towards the heavens, a small sapling erupted from the ground. By the sapling Diana placed her sister's armor, weapon, and helm. All of them were suddenly ensnared by the roots and branches of the tree.   
  
Solemnly, Diana gazed as the last remnants of Mirana's spirit vanish into the Hereafter. As the energy dissipated, Diana was reminded of her sister's voice, laugh, and cheerful demeanor. Diana then burst into tears, burying her face in her hands. It was all so unfair! Why should Mirana have died? She was such a ray of light in those caves, always happy and upbeat. And for her to be struck down by her own kind, it made no sense...   
  
Diana knelt on the soft forest floor, sobbing quietly. Her fingers dug into the soil, trying to unleash the pent-up rage she felt. Diana's tears fell upon the soil where her sister's body now forever lay. But then, something came to Diana's mind that she had not thought of before.  
  
Mirana unknowingly sacrificed her life so Diana could bring her wrath upon those who had killed her. Yes, her sister had allowed Diana one final gift... And Diana would make excellent use of that.   
  
Diana knelt by her sister's grave, and ripped her sister's sword from the sapling embrace. The sword was of medium length, but extremely light and easy to handle. On their blades were etched the sister's names in Night Elf runes. Diana put the sword's scabbards on her belt, and slid the weapons inside. Diana then took out a small, polished piece of magical stone attached to a cord from a small pouch on Diana's belt. It was pristine in it's color, a shade of violet like Diana's skin. Both sides of the stone were engraved in more Elven runes. On one side was Diana's name, and the other was Mirana's. It was a sacred item to the Starstalker family.   
  
As Diana clutched the stone to her breast, her tears and sorrow were banished for now. Now, it was time to shed the blood of her enemies. They would soon know the wrath of the Starstalker family.   
  
Her baby sister will not have died in vain. Diana would make sure of that...   
  



	2. The Hunt

  
Diana fell from a run, to a jog, then finally to a walk. She stopped, then leaned over and grasped onto her legs for support, her chest rising and falling with each rapid breath. The sun was just beginning to rise into the sky from the east.   
Diana examined her surroundings, they were unsettlingly unfamiliar to her. All of the trees were new and unique and the ground was much softer and cooler then the foothills of Hyjal. The air was also much cooler, and much crisper.   
Diana had been running for five days straight, with no sacred waters to heal her, and with no chance of rest or relaxation. Her body could not go any farther. She was not a machine, and no matter how fine-tuned she was, she to needed rest. So Diana found the nearest patch of shade underneath a tree, and promptly collapsed under it.   
Diana brought her hands up and rubbed her eyes with the tips of her fingers. She was more tired then she had ever been, and yet, she was more determined then she had ever been. Diana tried to stand back up, but her legs rejected her own weight. Diana let out a angry sigh, disgusted by her own weakness. She had to stay strong for Mirana's sake... She looked up and gazed up at the retreating night.  
Diana looked down and she gazed at her necklace. The stone was glittering with the morning light, and she gazed longingly at it. She missed Mirana, she missed everyone... And here she was, all alone, running... To what?  
That made Diana think for a moment, what was she running to? Why North? It just seemed... Right to her. Yes. She was destined to go North. To go to the lands of- _Oh what's North of Ashenvale again...?_ _Winterspring! Yes! Winterspring... Tyrande must be in Winterspring..._   
The thought of that name made Diana's blood boil, she hated Tyrande... The woman who took her family, her friends, her life... Diana grasped at the stone tightly, I'll kill her baby sister, don't worry... She whispered.   
  
Diana shook in fear. She was scared, alone, and tired. Diana brought her knees up to her chest, and felt sleep descending upon her, beckoning to her. Welcoming her. So, she slipped into sleep, but she did not sleep peacefully. Her mind was filled with thoughts of vengeance, blood, and violence.  
***  
Diana's eyes opened slowly, like rusted hinges. It took her a few moments to remember what had happened. Sleep seemed to linger on her, clouding her mind. She was sitting against the back of the tree she had sat under all those hours before. Her legs were up against her chest, and her cloak was draped around her body. She brought her hands up and brushed her blue-black hair away from her eyes as she gazed into the western sky. The sun was setting behind the trees and mountains. Diana sighed as she looked into the darkening forest.   
Her mind tried to recall the dreams she had in her sleep. But, they seem displaced, and impossible to recall. Except for two things...  
They all involved the Barrow Deeps, as all of her dreams of the past weeks have, but one dream... Had something that stood out...  
_On a light less dawn, I will cleanse my soul with blood, and call the Spirit of Vengeance...   
_She sat silently under the eaves of the tree for a long while, pondering the meaning of the dream. She leaned against the rough bark of the tree, and let out a long breath. She threw her bangs behind her long ears and prepared to enter sleep once again. Her head touched the ancient tree...  
Then she heard a noise.  
It was small, but out of place in the forest. It was the sound of someone, or something walking. At a steady pace, it sounded nearly like a deer. But, it's hooves sounded far too heavy. She also listened to the sound of metal grinding against metal, thick metal, like armor. Their stench hit Diana's noise next. It was a curious smell, like a rotten piece of fruit mixed with animal manure. Diana crunched up her nose at this awful stench. And the smell was becoming stronger and the noise louder. Something was coming.   
Whatever it was, Diana did not want to be caught by it.  
She looked around quickly for some means of escape, two of the tree's branches were close enough together to allow her to sit on them, and they were high off of the ground so the leaves of the tree would cover her nicely.  
Yes, this would do.  
She gazed up at the branches, and focused on them and called upon her years of training. All other things were absent from her mind except that branch. She took in every detail, every centimeter of the bark was tracked by her eyes. The branch was the only thing that mattered...  
Then, she blinked her eyes once, there was a small poof and flash of blue light, and she found herself sitting upon the tree branch. She looked all around to make sure her teleport was successful, and smiled. She sat, positioned like a vulture, patiently waiting for the coming of these new creatures.  
Soon, she saw something coming up the road. It was a massive, four hooved creature, clad in armor, slowly trotting up the road. They were about the same height as a stag, but seemed much more heavily built. On their armor were large drapes of gold and purple.   
Diana's gaze moved upwards towards the riders. Their leader was obviously a female, draped in purple and gold cloth and robes hanging loosely over her thin, form fitting armor. She seemed Night Elven in appearance, with elongated ears, hair and eyes blue as the sea. But, her skin was pale, and no where near the lavender shade of a Night Elve's skin. She wore a golden circlet on her head, and there was a medium sized sword hanging from her right side. But, something stood out about this rider. There was an odd aura around her. Diana couldn't think of where she felt this before, until she realized, it was the same feeling that Illidan emitted when Diana was near him.   
Magic... These creatures wielded magic!  
Diana's knuckles whitened at the thought of magic users. Her mind wandered back to the time thousands of years ago, when the world nearly fell to the Legion. The skies rained fire, and the rivers ran red with the blood of the Elves. Diana had to fight her urge to leap down and slay these vile magic users in one fell motion. Her breath shook out of her body as her willpower stayed her hand.   
She watched as the first rider past, she was soon followed by her companions. There were two males, followed close behind by two females. All of them were clad in long purple robes like the leader, and they rode the same armored beasts. They too looked like Night Elves, except their ears were smaller, but still elongated, had pale skin, and blonde or brown hair. Diana was perplexed at these new creatures, did the world change so much while she was under the ground?  
As the next wave passed, she observed that a much larger group was galloping up the road. These riders and their beasts were wearing armor so thick it looked as if it could deflect a blow from a Furbolg. In their hands they wielded both lance and war sword, and they looked much more intimidating then their predecessors. And the riders themselves wore armo thatr was a faint gray color, although the riders themselves were not Elven. No, their ears were far too small...  
As Diana watched the last warriors gallop past into the blazing sunset, her hawk-like vision watched as their shining, armor clad forms vanished over the horizon. Diana leapt down from her perch, and landed gracefully on her powerful legs. She waited for her cloak to flutter down around her before she set off like a bolt of lighting down the road after the warriors and their strange mounts. Diana wasn't going to let the Magic-users escape her that easily...  
  
---  
  
Several hours later Diana was leaning against a tree and panting heavily. It had been very difficult to follow the invaders, for their mounts moved much more swiftly then Diana could have imagined and all the while she was trying to keep as low a profile as possible.   
Diana looked upwards and wiped the droplets of sweat off of her forehead before she continued up a rather steep hill. Her full on run had slowed to a jog by this time, and again her muscles ached and her stomach moaned and groaned. At last, she reached the top of the hill and gasped in amazement at what she saw.  
Laid out before was the massive Winterspring Valley. To her it looked like a sea of trees with islands of rock jutting up though the leaves and needles. The opposite mountain sides were crested white with pristine snow. All the while flocks of birds soared out from the canopy, and wolves howled in the distance. _  
_ She took a few steps forward to the edge of the cliff, and turned to the left and saw that there was a long, narrow path that followed the edge of the cliff down to the valley floor. In the dim moon light she could see the hoof-prints of the alien creatures going down that pathway, and judging by the spacing of the tracks, they traveled down at a full gallop. Diana frowned, it would take her most of the night to go down that way by foot, and she would be quite visible. But, it seemed to be the only way. Diana sighed and started to walk forward when nature herself made a new path for Diana.   
At first, all Diana heard was a slight crack, a mere creak. She froze in her tracks, and she could hear the sounds of pebbles falling onto stone. Her mind seemed to know what was happening, but her body refused to react. The rock beneath Diana's feet suddenly dropped away and she fell with it. She tumbled disoriented, rock, clay, and cliff face blended into a dizzying mix. After several seconds of free-fall, she desperately grasped at the cliff face, trying to find a handhold. Her left hand grasped onto a notch in the rock, and she came to a sudden stop. Her shoulder make a sickening pop, and the burst of pain caused Diana to let go of the wall. She continued her free-fall for a few brief seconds before she crashed though the canopy of needles and leaves and smashed into the forest floor.   
She landed squarely on her back, her armor absorbing most of the blow. But her head whipped forward and hit the ground violently before Diana was suddenly overcome by darkness.  
  
---  
  
Diana awoke with a shooting pain in her left and and a tremendous headache. She groaned and tried to push her body up with her arms, but was rewarded with another jolt of a pain so severe that she cried out in anguish. She lay on her back for a while, panting heavily, before she sat up and bowed her head. The pain in her arm was nauseating and she could hardly stay conscious.   
_Dislocated shoulder_, she thought, her mind fuzzy. Her breaths came out in staggered pants, _I've got to... Put it back in..._ Using her right hand, she reached for a nearby branch, and she bit down on to it. Next, she grasped the upper part of her left arm. She clenched her eyes and her teeth then violently pushed upwards driving her shoulder back into it's socket.   
If it wasn't for the branch wedged between Diana's teeth, she would have screamed loud enough for everyone in the valley to hear her. Sweat and tears mixed and dripped off of her body. Her breathing became more steady as she slowly moved her left arm around. She unsteadily stood up and walked forward as if she was in a drunken stupor. As the pain in her arm lessened, her vision began to clear, but her head still throbbed violently. Her eyes caught sight of a small glow coming from deeper in the forest. The glow was faintly red and orange and flickered in the eaves of the trees. Fire, yes, it had to be fire. And no Night Elf would ever need a fire at night nor risk fire in these sacred woods.   
Diana crept towards the light, body low and back bent. Her black armor and lavender skin blended in perfectly with the woods. As she moved closer, she began to see vague shapes shilouted against the flame. Diana lowered herself even lower and silently drew her swords. She sneaked forward, ducking behind underbrush or tall grass whenever the nearest sentry turned around.   
She hid herself behind a tree mere feet away from the camp's sentry. She would periodically lean out from behind the tree to observe the sentry then duck away when he turn around. Judging the average time he turned, Diana crawled on her stomach slowly and silently towards the soldier, with her arms and swords ahead of her. When she was at least a foot from the sentry, she waited for him to make one final turn towards her, then when he turned back, Diana struck. She rose slowly, and grasped the man's face with her left hand and with her right she swiftly slit the mans throat. He gave one gurgled cry and then succumbed. Diana threw his limp corpse over her shoulder and carried him off into the brush and laid his body down so that it was covered by the plants.   
Diana moved the edge of the forest so that she was standing on the threshold of the encampment. In front of her she saw a camp comprised of several dozen tents. Most of the tents were bland and nondescript. Except, three of the tents on the opposite side of the circular clearing were a royal purple color and were quite a bit larger then the other tents in the camp.   
Diana crept cat like around the perimeter of the clearing, darting between high patches of grass and dense bushes. She tried to keep her composure, but her heart hammered in her chest. She had never actually used her skills in a real life-or-death situation before.   
Despite that, she was both scared and excited at the same time. As she reached the rear of the largest of the tents, she could feel her hand shaking as she drew her twin blades once again. She parted the flap on the tent with her the sword in her right hand and gazed inside.   
There was a single occupant, and she was the leader of the group that Diana had seen earlier. She was lying on a woven mat lain across the earth with a thick blanket to ward off the cold. She was the spitting image of a Night Elf, radiant blue hair, long pointed ears... Except for her pale, pinkish skin...   
Diana took a step inside the tent and she sensed the aura of magic emanating from the girl. As Diana prepared to strike, raising her sword in her right hand, a fleeting thought paused though her head.  
_It really is a pity to kill one so helpless and beautiful...  
_Diana paused, her hand stopped midair as she gathered the courage to strike.  
Then, suddenly, a horn blared in the distance.  
---  
  
In a single instant Diana sprang backwards outside the tent. She turned and fled into the forest as she heard voices rising up from the encampment. Screams and yells blended together to form a single enraged voice. Diana cursed her luck at being discovered as she knelt down and tried to find a way out of this trap.  
As Diana crept backwards into the shadows, she saw that the creatures weren't going out into the bush to find her. No, they were all moving into defensive formations, as to fend off an attack.  
The forest fell into a deathly silence, not a creature made a noise. The only thing Diana could hear was her heart hammering in her chest. As the seconds stretched into days as something insidious seemed to blanket the forest.   
Without warning, a roar came from the forest around Diana. It was a noise Diana had never heard before, and it seemed to cut into her skin like a knife. She caught sight of the monsters that rushed out from the woods into the clearing. They looked to be walking corpses, with massive talons replacing the fingers. They pounced on the defenders, ripping and tearing with their fangs and claws.   
The armor-clad ones threw them off, striking viciously with their long swords. Screams of the dying rose up from the camp and Diana kept her body lower, terrified.  
Soon, new monstrosities lumbered into the field. Made of various corpses stitched together, Diana could make out the eyes on the face sewn on the left flank of the creature. It rumbled forward, each of it's disproportionate limbs hacking away with cleavers, axes, and oversized knifes.  
One of the abominable creatures fell apart, looking as if the magic and stitching that had held it together had been dispelled. Soon, many of the Undead seemed hesitant to join the fray, until something ancient and evil joined their ranks.  
It stood as tall as the trees of the forest, it's blood-red skin glowing faintly in the fire and moonlight. It lifted it's saber, coated in green, demonic flames, and urged his warriors to strike. It watched the carnage unfold before him with a twisted grin on his face... A grin that sent Diana back...  
---  
Back you beast! Diana! Mirana! Run!  
  
  
---  
Cold anger seethed in Diana's veins. Rage overcame her common sense, and she stood slowly, drawing her blades out of their scabbards.  
She closed the distance between her and the Doom Guard in the Blink of an eye. Before the monster could react fully, she dove under his legs and slashed at his stubby tail. The Doom Guard whirled around, slashing blindly as he did so. Diana ducked under the slash, and leapt backward, springing off of a tree, and stabbed at the Doom Guard's small, beady eyes.   
The Doom Guard reacted with Demonic speed and leaned backwards to avoid the blow. Diana flipped around in midair and landed on her feet clumsily. The Doom Guard took advantage of this, and taking his blade in both hands, rushed towards Diana, slashing left and right with all of his might.  
Diana backpedaled as fast as she could, barley missing the slashes. Her foot caught a unearthed root, and Diana fell backwards. Diana looked up and she saw the blade heading straight for her head in an overhead slash. She moved to the left.  
Not quickly enough.  
Diana screamed, her voice drowned out in the music of the battle. She fell on her left side, grasping her right shoulder, or what was left of it. The Doom Guard plucked Diana off of the ground and held her in a crushing grip. He brought her to his eye level and his face broke into one of sadistic glee. Stupid little Night Elf... You thought you could kill me? He tightened his grip, and Diana let out another scream.  
Diana felt as if her body had been ignighted by flame. She tried to scream, but no noise she could hear came out. The fire seemed to coarse in her veins, her hair kindling, her eyes burning. Her body went rigid, the only thing she could do was feel the horrendous pain of the fire burning inside her...  
Then, without any warning, the Doom Guard dropped her. Diana landed on her back and she could vaguely make out what had happened to the Doom Guard. It was on it's back, entangled in... Something... Then, a figure walked up to it, and drove it's sword into the Doom Guards skull. The Demon roared one final time and was still.  
Diana felt the fires dying inside her. Cold embraced her. Cold, stillness.   
Diana let out one breath before succumbing to darkness.


End file.
